Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	apostle_n	church_n	pillar_n	3,742	5	10.1590	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01889	Spiritual marriage: or, The vnion betweene Christ and his Church As it was delivered in a sermon at Westminster, the first of Ianuarie. Anno Dom. 1626. By Iames Baillie, Master of Arts.	Baillie, James, Master of Arts.	1627 (1627)	STC 1203; ESTC S120307	33,214	58

Church which no power in hell nor earth is able to sunder and infringe neyther is there any way in nature by which two things can bee made one but from it the Spirit of GOD borroweth similitudes to expresse our conjunction with CHRIST wee are one with him as EVAH was with ADAM flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone wee are one with him as the house and the foundation whereupon it is built But this vnion is most liuely set forth in these three similitudes First as is the strait conjunction betweene the graft and the stock so is the vnion between CHRIST and his Church Secondly as is the neerenesse of the garment to the body so is ours with CHRIST Thirdly as the straitnesse of the bond is betweene the wife and the husband such is the straitnesse of our vnion with CHRIST But before I explaine the similitudes it is necessary to vnderstand what is signified by this word * Church in my text The Church hath diuers significations to the end that you may know to which Church this promise is made seeing it is diuersly taken and hath sundry significations in the old and new Testament for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church is a Greeke word and properly signifieth an Assembly which belongeth as well to the Heathen and to Infidels as to Christians and the children of GOD verified by DAVID Psal 26.6 Psal 26.6 Odini Ecclesiam malignantium I haue hated the assembly or the Church of the wicked and by the Apostle Act. 19. Act. 19. That calleth that multitude which cryed Great is the DIANA of the Ephesians Ecclesiam the assembly or the Church But hereafter vse obtayned that Christians called their assembly Ecclesiam the Church to Why Christians called there Assemblies the Church distinguish it from the Synagogue of the Iewes albeit that both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth one thing an Assembly or a Congregation a meeting or a gathering together This word then Ecclesia the Church being vsurped by Christians is taken by them in the new Testament The Church hath fiue significations among Christians fiue manner of wayes First for the Pastors of the Church the people being excluded and so it is taken St Math. 18.17 where our Sauiour commands That if a debate betweene neighbours cannot bee quietly pacified to tell the Church that is the Byshops Prelates and other Pastors of inferiour titles that haue superioritie and jurisdiction in the Church Now it sometime belongs to this Church arguere increpare 2. Tim. 4. to improue and rebuke sometimes amputare to cut off sometimes lapsos relevare to raise vp againe such as haue slipped or fallen sometimes to confirme and corroberate those that stand In a word In this Church as in the Arke there must bee both manna and virga bread for refection and a rod for correction osculum and fraenum a kisse for friends and a bridle for refractarie and stubborne persons And as in a Vineyard there must be both planting and pruning so in this Church must there be both Doctrine Discipline Doctrine to inctruct in the points of Faith to conserue nourish and augment charitie flowing from the sinceritie of the minde integritie of the conscience and from a faith voyde of dissimulation and hypocrisie Discipline to correct and reforme vices and abuses Secondly this word Church is taken for the People the Pastors being excluded and so it is taken Act. 20.28 Where Pastors are exhorted to feed the Church which CHRIST hath purchased with his owne blood Thirdly it is taken for a particular Church in which both people and pastors are comprehended such of old was the Church at Ephesus at Corinth at Rome and such were those seauen Churches whereof wee reade in the 2. and 3. Chapters of the Revelation But now many of these Churches haue much fallen from that puritie wherein the Apostles and their Disciples did institute them and some of them altogether made so great a defection and apostasie from the faith as therein a man explicitly resting on their whole Doctrine cannot bee saued such to day is the Church at Rome and such a one hath she beene these many ages past for in her Idolatry is maintayned and the whole Doctrine of the benefit of CHRIST altogether corrupted if then a man would bee saued hee must vse our Sauiours counsell Revel 18.4 Reuel 18.4 Goe out of Babylon my people that yee bee not partakers of her sinnes and that yee receiue not of her plagues Fourthly this word Church is taken for the whole assembly of those that here below vpon the earth are called Christians and this is the vniuersall visible Church composed of diuers particular Churches called by the Apostle in the 1. of Tim. 3.15 1. Tim. 3.15 The pillar and ground of truth because it is the dutie thereof to vnderprop and defend the truth against all those that seeke by schismes heresies and erronious Doctrines to suppresse and ouerthrow the same Now this vniuersall Church subsisteth by a perpetuall generation one succeeding to another and consisteth of all the conuerted Iewes Gentiles that are vpon the face of this earth It is truth that this Church was once and before CHRIST came in the flesh onely among the Iewes glorious and the Gentiles then were but dogs or whelpes In the 15. of Math. 26. Math. 15.26 It is not good to take the childrens bread and to cast it to whelpes But now God perswaded IAPHETH to dwell in SHEMS tent Now God is the God of the Gentiles also Rom. 3.29 Yea which is more obstinacie is come to Israel vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles bee come in Rom. 11.25 And amongst vs God hath a more The Church is more glorious among the Christians then it was among the Iewes glorious Church then euer hee had amongst the Iewes for this cause ABRAHAM desired to see our dayes for this cause St PAVL called Gods old ordinances beggerly rudiments Gal. 4.9 and reputed of Genealogies as of fables for this cause the Patriarkes without vs are not said to be perfect Heb. 11.2 Heb. 11.40 And this made SIMEON for a time to desire that he might not see death The Iewish Church had but shadowes and circumstances but we haue the body and the substance Ioh. 1.2 The word was made flesh he walked among his brethren they saw him handled him heard him beheld his wounders and miracles Math. 27.24.35 Math. 26.6 saw him condemned crucified raised and carried into heauen in a cloud It was this that made EZECHIELL the Prophet say our Temple should bee bigger then in the dayes of MOSES Math. 11.11 that made IOHN the Baptist bee called the greatest of all the Prophets and yet the least in our Church greater then he that made St. PAVL 2. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 3. Call the Law the ministerie of condemnation but the Gospell the ministration of righteousnes

oile in our lampes into his chamber into the kingdome of heauen and in a word we must haue heauen in inchoation in this life if we will haue it in perfection after this life The 4. Circumstance Fourthly as there are mutuall gifts betweene two persons to be joyned in the honourable and vndefiled bed of marriage so is there betweene Christ and his Church Christs guifts to the Church twofold CHRIST giueth his first which are twofold for his Church and to his Church for his Church he sendeth to his father the gifts of his righteousnesse and meretorious satisfaction for her justification To his Church he sendeth the gifts of his mercy compassion of Election Predestination justification Vocation Sanctification and hope of Glorification The Church is not ingratefull The Churches guifts twofold but hath her two-fold gifts too Contrition and Thankesgiuing the first is a composition the second a simple without ingredients The ingredients whereof Contrition is composed The ingredients thereof Contrition is composed 〈◊〉 two are our sinnes and a godly sorrow for the same for the child of God a member of this Church and everie member of the same takes all their sinnes at least so many of them as they know and in a sorrowfull heart as in a morter beateth them so as they are borne downe in some measure yea in a great measure never riseth vp so high therafter and therof is Contrition composed made which is sent vp by deuout prayer and innumerable sighes which cannot be vttered whereof the Lord most willingly accepteth for the Sacrifices of the Lord are a contrite spirit saith DAVID Psal 51.17 A contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise The other gift Thankesgiuing Thankesgiuing the greatest gift which wee can giue vnto God is a simple and hath none ingredients But is a voluntarie a willing retribution of one good thing for another a sweet and a godly reioycing in the vndeserued mercies of God which is one of the greatest gifts which we can or are able to offer vnto God in which regard the Apostle exhorts vs alwaies in all things to giue thankes 1. Thes 5.18 Prayer and Thankesgiuing paralelled Prayer Thanksgiuing are two notable parts of diuine worship but of the two Thankesgiuing is the most heavenly and Angelike for in Prayer we respect our selues and haue regard vnto such things as wee desire to haue But by Thankesgiuing we retribute vnto God what is competent vnto him only regards his Divine essence Prayer againe properly pertaines to vs whilest we are in baca this valey of teares Et est egentium ac miserorum and belongs to wanting and miserable people But Thankesgiuing shall pertaine to vs when all teares shal be wiped from our eyes Et est angelorum ac glorificatorum and belongs vnto vs when we shall raigne like Angels and be joyned to the fellowship and societie of the glorified Church the spirits of perfect and blessed men that sings continually Praise bee vnto God and Glory to the Lambe that sitteth vpon the throne for evermore Fiftly there is a contract The 5. Circumstance a matrimoniall written and sealed in which it is contracted that God shall be out God and we shall bee his people that whosoeuer is wearie and laden Math. 11. that in comming to our redeemer he shall be eased and refreshed which is he shall be purged from all his sinnes in the blood of his Sauiour for in the 3. of St. Iohn 36. The blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne This contract is written by the Apostles the penmen of the holy Ghost that led them in all truth and veritie sealed with the blood of our Saviour and ratified by the blood of many a Martyr since both vnder the first and the second beast vnder the cruell Emperours and raging antichristian Popes The 6. Circumstance Sixtly as the procreation of children is necessarie in Earthly marriage so is it in this spirituall marriage In earthly marriage this was the blessing of God in the beginning Gen. 2.15 Increase and multiply Gen. 2.15 And without this there is often but little content in marriage when the Lord had promised to ABRAHAM twise the land of Canaan to be his buckler and exceeding great reward all was nothing there could be no true contentment because said he I goe childlesse But when IZACK was promised when the Lord told him that SARAH should beare him a sonne then ABRAHAM fell vpon his face and laughed Gen. 17.17 and when he was borne SARA confessed that the Lord had made her to rejoyce Gen. 21.6 * RACHELL was more impatient for in the 30. of Gen. 1. she would either haue children or die but when IOSEPH was borne she was content that God had taken away her rebuke And in the 1. of Samuel HANAH one of the wiues of ELCANAH did weepe because she was barren but when Samuel was borne she rejoyced and brake out in this glorious triumph mine heart reioyceth in the Lord mine horne is exalted in the Lord mine mouth is enlarged over mine Enemies 1. Sam. 2.1 Iust so there could be no peace if in this spirituall marriage the spouse should be barren and howsoeuer that in some earthly marriages for other respects there may be peace with barrennesse and loue too Yet in this spirituall marriage the procreation of children is of an absolute necessitie and must not cease nor leaue off till the consummation of the world neither shall the world subsist any longer then till the Church be barren for then the whole and full number of those whose names are written in the booke of life are brought out and come into the world and then shall the world end and not till then Who are our Father and mother in this spirituall Marriage Now our Parents in this spirituall marriage is Christ and Ierusalem the Church militating here below the procreation is made at the preaching of the Gospell by the operation of the holy Spirit and after this manner at one Sermon made by St. PETER Act. 2. there was 3. Thousand children procreated vnto Christ three thousand soules turned to the faith of IESVS and wheresoever this Gospell is preached or shall be preached the Church will never be barren because the Lord addeth daily vnto his Church such as should bee saved Act. 2. and in whatsoever place of the world there is any of those whose names are written in the booke of life for their cause conversion the Gospell shall be preached in that same place that piece that is called their hearts shall be disforested put to tillage and turned into a fertile field or a fruitfull garden and if there were but one elected Familie in a whole Citie the Gospell will come to that City for that one families vocation Luk. 19.1 as it did * to Ierico for the vocation of Zacheus and his familie and wheresoever